Boats moored near Selkirk Bay (Prawn Flats)

Boats can no longer moor in the Western channel which ran in front of the camp site, due to the silting up of the channel caused by the artificial breaching on the Eastern side of the berm. Algae blooms can be seen developing.

THE WESTERN BREACH OF THE KLEIN RIVER ESTUARY AT HERMANUS

We have said this before and we will say it again, ad infinitum, that the natural breach of the Klein River is on the WESTERN side of the bearm. The Eastern breach position,also seen in this picture, is the historic ARTIFICIAL breaching position which has created a foot print seen in all aerial photographs of the estuary. This has been providing the stimulus for the knee jerk reaction we find in all the desk top, so called, scientific studies that pontificate about estuary function and river mouth positioning. Compounding, or perhaps even driving the pseudoscience is the expedient political lobby within the Overstrand municipality (treating the public like fools) who argue for the artificial Eastern breach to in fact protect the interest of Grotto beach's extent and its Blue Flag status, together with maintaining the artificial embankment created for the ill-concieved and totally unnecessary car park and picnic site.

CLICK ON PAGE LINK BELOW AND ADD THIS EVIDENCE TO THE RAGING DEBATE

http://truthabouthermanus.blogspot.com/2014/01/two-hand-painted-maps-show-historic.html

Out of sight out of mind - pollution is the last thing on your mind

Sunset scenes on the upper reaches of the Klein River Estuary

The Klein River Estuary showing signs of ecosystem decay that scientists have know for years. Has the public?

It has been predicted that in twenty years the estuary will be a big march with the Klein River meandering through it. We can then call the Hermanus Yacht Club the Hermanus Bird Club!

THE CAUSE

THE EFFECT

Two hand painted maps show historic channels in the Klein River Estuary

These two historic maps are on view in the Hermanus Yacht Club. They were painted in 1954 and show the Klein River channels and various depth sounding's along its course. It clearly illustrates the Western trajectory of the river mouth and the depth attained at high water conditions. These depths are shown as 19.3 feet at Tessel Baai and 11.1 feet against the rocks at Selkirks Bay - amoungst other readings.

INTERESTING! 

  

View of Grotto Beach and the Klein River estuary mouth

 Views showing the proximity of the Klein River Estuary to Grotto beach (left of center - click on image) and further showing the estuary maintaining its historic opening on the West of the berm. Bottom picture: Note the wash up effect of estuary outflow on Grotto beach.

 

 

Should Grotto Beach in Hermanus be awarded Blue Flag status?

There's something fishy going on with Blue Flag water sampling and WESSA monitoring at Grotto beach in Hermanus. Is it a question of just too much to lose, so anything that's done to retain the endorsement, is justifiable - So is it a question of, do anything to retain the Blue Flag status?

Grotto beach Hermanus: No expenses spared when it comes to some Blue Flag publicity. All good stuff, untill it begins to look like it doesnt add up.

Check out the 'smiley' water sampling results below - ARE YOU KIDDING US?

 Ask yourself is this how Blue Flag protects your interest in health, when monitoring and endorsing water quality!

Does Grotto Beach in Hermanus comply with BLUE FLAG standards?

The public records (see below) show that water samples, water sampling methods, and limits specified, do not comply to Blue Flag standards.   

Blue Flag water quality standards

Published by WESSA in BLUE FLAG PROGRAM (NEWSLETTER)

Blue Flag indicator bacteria limit values as of 2009 (scroll down see more)

100cfu/100ml for  faecal enterococcus

250cfu/100ml for   E.coli.

Klein River Estuary : Water Quality Sampling

Note the highly irregular occurrence of zero readings alongside high readings in the alternating categories, a phenomena never experienced in science!

*No figures published after March 2013

BOCMA-funded results (counts per 100 ml)
Site	Grotto Beach		Prawn Flats		Yacht Club		S'ford slipway		King St. jetty		Wortelgat
Date	Entero	E.coli	Entero	E.coli	Entero	E.coli	Entero	E.coli	Entero	E.coli	Entero	E.coli
14-03-13	0	1400	0	2000	0	2420	27	167	0	68	0	961
21-02-13	380	77	260	70	256	23	35	9	35	13	3700	77
31-01-13	2800	22	1040	101	4500	76	780	21	2800	22	-	-
10-01-13	3200	0	800	0	70	0	270	17	13	76	0	29
12-12-12	370	75	0	1986	150	99	63	22	74	9	0	291
22-11-12	0	1414	0	2800	0	3000	35	7	37	5	0	308
01-11-12	530	7	2560	115	520	63	58	32	70	62	640	12

LATEST FIGURES PUBLISHED IN OVERSTRAND ESTUARIES WEB SITE (as of 1.12.14)
http://www.overstrandestuaries.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38&Itemid=18

Changes to Blue Flag water quality standards

Published by WESSA in BLUE FLAG PROGRAM (NEWSLETTER)

At the International Blue Flag meeting that took place in Brazil in late 2009, the Blue Flag

programme adopted some significant changes to the water quality criteria for the global programme. Many of the changes have been informed by changes coming through water quality research as well as developments within the European Union and WHO with respect to acceptable standards for bathing water.

The standards are now more strict than previously where up to 25% of samples were discarded if they exceeded the acceptable levels of indicator bacteria.

In terms of health risk, indicator bacteria limit values are now:- 

100cfu/100ml water for faecal enterococcus

250cfu/100ml for E.coli.

While the slight increase in the accepted levels of these indicator bacteria is

welcomed, compliance at a 95th percentile level puts pressure on coastal

municipalities to ensure that the water quality is maintained at a consistently

acceptable level as all samples taken are now included in assessment. Just one

exceptionally high reading per season has the potential to bring about non-

compliance at the 95th percentile level.

Other changes include the need to compile a bathing water profile for each specific

beach and to schedule water sampling according to a predetermined schedule of

monitoring.

Report on sewage pollution in the Klein River Estuary: From the bridge on Klein River at Stanford up to Scout Camp Hermanus. Published by Dr V.L. Hamilton-Attwell

Map of Klein River Estuary showing sampling site results

Figure 23: Integration, interactions and superimposed the influence of pollution, human activities and bacteria occurrences. The lighter, the lower the total impact and the darker, the higher the total. (T Dry, 2007)

http://www.savebantawww.savebantamsklip.org/docs/development_reports/lagoon.pdf